as in umpire
a person who impartially decides or resolves a dispute or controversy
served as the unofficial referee in disputes over the family business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to decide
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
their father usually ends up refereeing any disputes concerning use of the big TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of referee
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026
Whereas Game 2 was a physical, choppy and ugly game that looked to be beginning of a nasty series, Game 3 was a special teams party, as the referees liberally called penalty after penalty.
—Mac Engel
april 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
In November, California voters may have to referee a multimillion-dollar battle among Uber, attorneys and doctors.
—Levi Sumagaysay, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for referee
Noun
Suns star Devin Booker, typically a measured player, ripped the referees after the loss, targeting official James Williams.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026
Whereas Game 2 was a physical, choppy and ugly game that looked to be beginning of a nasty series, Game 3 was a special teams party, as the referees liberally called penalty after penalty.
—Mac Engel
april 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
With each witness, Guillard — in her role as her own attorney — challenged their testimony in sometimes testy back-and-forths that had to be refereed by the judge and court staff.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
In November, California voters may have to referee a multimillion-dollar battle among Uber, attorneys and doctors.
—Levi Sumagaysay, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for referee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referee
Noun
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If catchers, pitchers, or hitters believed an umpire missed a call, they were suddenly allowed to challenge it.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In the first inning on April 18, Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo challenged an 0-1 splitter that the umpire ruled a ball.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That April, Valerii decided to sell his Moskvitch in Kyiv.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
By the time Claudia Martínez added a fourth in the 75th minute, Audi Field was buzzing, the result long decided.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Relatives of the defendant, about a half dozen of whom watched from the gallery at his arraignment, cheered the judge’s decision to cut Alexander loose.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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The probe had been crippled by a federal judge's ruling quashing subpoenas her office issued to the Federal Reserve related to a multi-billion-dollar renovation of its headquarters in Washington.—
Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Let what surfaces settle before making your next move.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Moses could put his real game face on and settle into his pre-race routine—even if a bit rushed—to get Pal in the zone, and then send him off into the Valley of Roses to pick up his jockey, then on to the starting gate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The exact reasons are often left vague, and the successors to be determined, but people are leaving.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Forensic investigators will determine whether the shooting was accidental, police said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That agency is tasked with adjudicating appeals from federal employees regarding adverse actions taken against them.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The jury is asked to set aside their impressions of Musk to adjudicate the case.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, the leaders reported that the core business of the guild — paying residuals, arbitrating credit disputes, and so on — continues, though the guild’s offices, theater and library remain closed.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
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The Google mass arbitration may be the first to seek to represent corporate plaintiffs, as most of the group legal proceedings to date have sought to arbitrate consumer or labor-related claims.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Referee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referee. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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